The post-millennial generation, most often referred to as Gen Z, is now emerging. Born somewhere between 1995 and 2010, they never knew the world without technology. Now, the eldest representatives of this generation are going to break into the real world quite soon, and we can expect them to cast some real change in the workplace.
Gen Z: The future of your workforce
Of course, currently, a large share of this generation is still acquiring basic skills and knowledge. They are attending college, partying and buying their papers from EssayPro to keep the scores high. They are just getting ready for adulthood. However, this is about to change quite soon, as the oldest representatives graduate and enter the marketplace.
According to The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), by the end of 2020, we can expect Gen Z to make up as much as 36% of the global workforce. So, now, it is just the right time to get ready to make way for the new talents. While many companies found it fairly hard to adjust to Millennials, Gen Z is quite different. The massive influx of representatives will once more revolutionize our understanding of the workplace.
Top 7 peculiarities of recruiting Gen Z
What does this mean for HR Professionals and companies? Well, the upcoming changes mean that it is critical for employees to understand what makes Gen Z unique. And they have to figure it out rather quickly. Here are the key characteristics of the new generation all HR Professionals and employees have to know about.
Technologically savvy
The representatives of this generation are called the true “digital natives,” and not without reason. They’ve been exposed to different types of tech since birth. Moreover, they have never known the world without technology. That’s why they are so comfortable with it.
Hyper-cognitive
Since this group has been exposed to all sorts of technology since early childhood and pretty much grew up along the technological progress, they are often considered to be the best informed and hyper-cognitive generation of all. They are true innovators and, often, good leaders, who have solid opinions and crave to be heard.
Loyal
Youngsters tend to show high levels of loyalty to their companies. However, at the same time, they are expected to stay at the same company for less time, compared to their predecessors – Millennials.
Informal
Unlike most of your past and current employees who acknowledge a certain hierarchy in the workplace and have a clear formal framework, young talents may be much more informal. The Gen Z representatives expect to build a much closer and less formal relationship. This applies even to those who are higher in the hierarchy and may cause certain issues inside teams.
Striving for biversity
Similarly to Millennials, the representatives of this group are open minded and support diversity. Thus, young talents will more likely opt for companies that promote an inclusive culture. According to Forbes, as many as 77% of Gen Z confirm that the level of diversity in a company will significantly affect their decision to work there.
Work-life balance above income
Probably one of the biggest factors that make Gen Z stand out is the genuine concern about their work-life balance. According to the study, people from this group do not care as much about their income as their work-life balance, whiuch is at the top of their priority list.
On the last note: high expectations
Finally, one can state that there are both strengths and weaknesses of the emerging workforce. Gen Z people are loyal, ambitious, willing to learn and develop, not to mention that they are extremely tech-savvy and possess strong cognitive skills.
On the other hand, they can be somewhat impatient. This group lacks formality, and many have short attention spans. Yet, one of the most important peculiarities HR Professionals and employers should keep in mind is that these workers can be rather demanding. While expecting a lot of themselves, this group will also have high expectations concerning their employers.
They choose companies that are diversified and inclusive as well as display corporate social responsibility. At the same time, they crave a high level of financial stability and opportunities for fast career development. Simply put, the representatives of Gen Z expect you to cater to their needs and expectations. Respectively, they can offer you a return in the form of creative and high-quality work.
Leslie Dye, from New York, is the observer of educational achievements and goals, and is motivated by a desire to encourage people exploring the world around and break their limits.
